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2D shape activities,

Each month I like to have a little review of all of the 2D shapes, so this information stays stuck in my students’ heads.

With that in mind, I designed two “Shapin’ Up With Santa” packets.

The first packet is a "print & go" Santa craft, where Santa's "body" is made up of a 2D shape; topped off by his head, complete with a beard, which is cut from a paper plate.

The 2nd packet includes a variety of games and activities that provide a fun way to review these 2D shapes: circle, oval, triangle, square, rectangle, hexagon, pentagon, octagon, rhombus, trapezoid, heart and star.

Both packets are perfect for that last week of school before vacation; particularly the quick, easy & super-fun games, which also work well for your Christmas party day too.

The packet includes patterns for the above shapes, so that children can make a “Shapely Santa” of their own.

Santa's paper plate beard is snipped along the ridges; then every other "tab" is bent up, which is wonderful fine motor practice, that will help strengthen those finger muscles, at the same time providing a cool 3D effect.

There are 3 hat "brim" options. Students can write the shape on Santa's hat, glue on the label, or use the pattern where children trace then write the word.

Use a red and green marker to show an AB-AB color pattern and add some extra pizzazz too.

Another quick, easy and fun way to jazz up Santa, is to pull apart a few cotton balls, then glue on a bit of "hair" for Santa.

Eyes and a mustache are a separate piece and simply glued on. Have a room helper pre-cut them to expedite assembly.

Another "finishing touch" that will add some 3D pop to your display, is to attach a white pom pom to the tip of Santa's hat. I use a glue dot.

As you can see by the photo, once students complete Santa's "head" they glue it to a red, 2D shape.

To help practice the “positional words” portion of the 2D shape standard, I’ve also included a “Christmas present” whole group, assessment game, as well.

The “Shapely Pokey” activity, is also super-fun and helps get the wiggles out.

The packet also includes shape posters and pocket chart cards to introduce your lesson.

For added reinforcement, try some of the activities from the "tip list" for how else to use the posters; such as playing the game "Catch the Claus".

My students actually beg to play this game at the end of the day.

I’ve also included a “Shapely Santa”bookmark for your students.

Completed projects make an adorable bulletin board or hallway display.

I’ve included several posters to add extra pizzazz, plus informational “tags” should you want your students to explain the attributes of their Shapely Santa.

You can hang these next to a child's "Shapely Santa" on you bulletin board.

The other Santa-themed packet which reinforces 2D shapes, is "Shapin' Up With Santa!" and includes a variety of games and other "print & go" activities.

There is an assortment of (12-on-a page) cards which can be used for “Memory Match” and “I Have; Who Has?” games.

I’ve included a 3-page “tip list” of ideas and other games you can use the cards for; such as: “Flip It”, “What’s Missing?” “Speed” “Who’s Got the Coal?” and “Kaboom!”

Games can be played independently or as a whole group, then put in your math center.

There are also 2 sets of black & white game cards, so that students can make a game of their own to take home for further reinforcement.

Game sheets like “I Spy a Shape” are a super-fun way to whole group assess. The same worksheet can be used 5 times!! Woo Hoo.

There are puzzles, dice and spinner games, as well as 2 graphing activities.

An emergent reader booklet, packed with Dolch words, also practices end punctuation, which can be done as a whole group or independent activity.

Children color the Santa, trace and write the shape words, trace and draw the shape, then cut and glue the matching shape to the empty box.

There are also a variety of worksheets which help practice a variety of standards, including two graphing extensions you can do as a whole group.

As you can see I'm all decked out. (Jingle all the way...) Not too good at taking selfies...

Wishing you a blessed day filled with lots of love, hugs and giggles galore.

“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!” -Dr. Seuss (From the Grinch Who Stole Christmas.)

Each month I like to have a little review of all of the 2D shapes, so this information stays stuck in my students’ heads.

With that in mind, I designed the "Shape Up!"turkey-themed packet, with a variety of games and activities that provide a fun way to review these shapes: circle, oval, triangle, square, rectangle, hexagon, pentagon, octagon, rhombus, trapezoid, heart & star.

There is an assortment of (12-on-a page) cards which can be used for “Memory Match” and “I Have; Who Has?” games.

I’ve included a 3-page “tip list” of ideas and other games you can use the cards for, such as: “Flip It”, “What’s Missing?” “Speed” & “Kaboom!”

Games can be played independently or as a whole group, then put in your math center.

There are also 2 sets of black & white game cards, so that students can make a game of their own to take home for further reinforcement.

Game sheets like “I Spy a Shape”are a super-fun way to whole group assess. The same worksheet can be used 5 times!

There are puzzles, dice & spinner games, as well as 2 graphing activities.

An emergent readerbooklet, packed with Dolch words, practices a variety of standards.

The booklet can remain a whole page, or students can cut in half on the dashed line, creating a "just the right size" smaller booklet for little hands.

There are cover options for both. Students read the sentence, underline the capital letter and add end punctuation.

You can do this as a whole group activity, with "monkey see-monkey do" directions.

Children also trace the shape word then write it, then trace the shape and draw it. Afterwards students cut and glue the appropriate shape to the empty box, then color the "shapely turkey" at the top of the page.

This is a fun activity for the week of Thanksgiving, where you can do one or two pages each day; or send home over the holiday, as an interesting homework assignment.

The packet includes patterns for the above shapes, so that children can make a “Funny Flamingo Friend.”

They turn out absolutely adorable, so I think your kiddos will really enjoy making one.

Templates come in a large, full-page size, as well as a smaller, two-on-a-page pattern.

Decide what’s most appropriate for your students.

You don’t have to, but accordion-folding the legs is a fun way to strengthen finger muscles. Your students will also enjoy the “boing-boing” effect.

Completed projects make a super-cute display. Dangle them from the ceiling as a border in your hallway. I’ve included a poster to add pizzazz.

The packet also includes 3 sets of game cards, so that students can play “Memory Match”, “I Have; Who Has?”and sorting games with them.

The 3 sets of cards feature: flamingos with a shapely body, plain shapes, plus word cards, so that you can practice a variety of standards.

I’ve also included a “Spin to Win” game, where students partner up and take turns spinning. Whatever shape they land on, they color the matching shape on their game sheet that color.

Several other worksheets, help to further reinforce 2D shapes in other ways.

The “Flamingo Slider” is another quick, easy & fun craft, that will help you whole group assess.

My students absolutely LOVE playing this "I Spy" game. Simply call out a shape. Students pull on their "slider" strip 'til it appears in the "window" then hold up their flamingo. You can see at a glance who is having difficulty.

Two graphing extensions add some additional math pratice to the packet as well.

Use the 3 photo posters of real flamingos to introduce your lesson, as well as the “What Shape is a Flamingo’s Body Most Like?”discussion poster.

Since I'm "warping" the true shape of a flamingo, as a fun way to review shapes, I thought it important to discuss this. The poster provides a nice visual.

I’ve also included a list of super-interesting links that I use as part of my introduction as well, which helps me add a bit of science in just a few minutes.

Students learn why a flamingo is pink and other interesting facts. The 2-minute clip showing 1,000s of flamingos all in one place in Africa, is quite amazing!

Today's featured FREEBIE is also a fun activity that involves 2D shapes.

It's a very versatile, "Letter H is for House" craft that you can do when you're working on a letter a day, shapes (12, 2D shapes are included.) or doing social studies & working on communities, families & neighborhoods.

Children can also practice their address by including that as well. Add a school photo for that finishing touch. Completed projects make an adorable bulletin board too.

Well that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by.

It's been unseasonably hot this week with scorchers in the 90s, so it's a good day to design some more activities in my air-conditioned office. Wishing you a super-de-duper summer.

Most of my Y5s don’t have any problem learning to identify the 2D shapes, however, when I ask them to find an example of that shape in the “real world” many of them have difficulty, particularly with the "toughies" like a hexagon.

I even had one little guy think that in order to be a "real" hexagon, that shaped item had to be yellow because our hexagon pattern block pieces were that color! Sadly, none of my students could think of a "real world" example of a hexagon either.

Simply "regurgitating" vocabulary when you hold up a colorful paper shape, does not mean your students can point to a kleenex box or ruler and identify it as having a rectangular shape.

With that startling revelation in mind, I knew that I needed some "hands on" things to emerse them in. One idea to get the pentagon and hexagon shapes into their heads, was to toss a soccer ball to them. Easy-peasy for me, super fun for them.

Both those shapes are on the ball, so wherever one of their thumbs landed when they caught it, they identified that shape. A bonus for us, was that "catching and tossing an object" is one of our report card standards. Since we were learning 3D shapes as well, I also had my kiddos say "Sphere!" when they caught the soccer ball. Listen carefully, as some of my students were saying "spear".

Since children really enjoy centers as an interesting way to practice, I designed some quick, easy and fun “I Spy!” 2D Shape Wheels.

I use the full color patterns as independent centers, and have the wheels do double duty, when I need a unique assessment tool. My students can't wait for their turn to show me what they know.

Because it's such a successful activity, I've also included a photo-poster of the soccer ball in both the hexagon & pentagon packets.

Depending on the shape and available clip art, there are 2 - 4 INSIDE wheel options, featuring 12 - 24, different images of 2D-shaped things that children will easily recognize.

There are 4, OUTSIDE pattern options for all of the shapes as well.

Since these are shapes in the "real world" one features a global map of the world: "When you're out and about -- and see a hexagon, give a little shout!"; another "wheel cover" depicts the shape being identified: "Hexagons here; hexagons there; I see hexagons everywhere!" while the final option is an "I spy hexagons!" cover, featuring a boy or girl detective.

I’ve also included black & white templates, so that students can make their own “turn & learn” wheel, further practicing this standard.

Choose your favorite, or give children an option. You could also pick one type for your center, and have children choose from the other options to make their own. If they are like my students they'll be excited.

After everyone has completed their wheel, have students pick a partner and take turns identifying the name of the shape and an example.

Make a wheel or two in class, or send home as a super-fun alternative, to a worksheet for homework.

They are sold individually for just $1.95, or save 40% and buy the bundle, then laminate a set and keep in your math center for years of fun.

Since the end of the school year will be here before you know it, today's featured FREEBIE is a little poem that I had fun revamping; it's entitled:"A-B-C Ya!"

I've included templates in color as well as black and white for PreK-4, PK, Kindergarten & 1st grade, so you can read it to your students, tuck it in a summer packet, or have them color their own and include it in their Memory Books.

I hope you find it useful.

Well that's it for today. Amidst the whirlwind of stuff to get accomplished in our all too busy lives, I hope you can find a bit of time to relax, as you start counting down the days 'til summer,

Wishing you a stress-free day.

"The time to relax is when you don't have time to relax."-Sydney J. Harris

Younger students can simply color the lion & lamb-faced worksheet of their choice with no cutting, or draw in their own head on the blank shape, while older kiddos can cut and glue a lion or lamb head to their favorite shape.

There’s a simple “straight-edge” shape pattern for little ones that’s easy to cut, along with a more challenging shape pattern where students cut the lion’s mane and the sheep’s body out for a more realistic look.

Children can glue the lion head to the “shapely” mane, or the lamb head to the “shapely” body of the sheep.

For more pizzazz & to add some 3D pop, students can accordion fold a strip of paper, glue it to the back of the head, so that it ”wiggles”.

The packet also includes posters & games with colorful cards to use as a center activity.

There are black & white patterns so students can make up their own games as well.

There’s also a selection of worksheets, which practice shape words, & attributes, plus a certificate of praise bookmark.

Make a set of your own to use as flashcards, anchor charts, or a “4 Corners” game, (Directions included).

Simply print, laminate and trim. I keep the "puzzle parts" for each 2D shape in a large, ZipLock Baggie.

Depending on the shape and clip art available, I’ve included 1-4, “bottom” puzzle grids with matching words, as well as a blank template, so that students can pick and choose, which of the 6-24-different pieces of “real world” 2D shape examples, they want to use to complete the picture puzzle.

For example, I found many more graphics of rectangular-shaped items, so there are 4 puzzles and 24 pieces for the rectangle packet, where as there were a limited number of examples for the hexagon, which has 2 grids and 12 pieces to choose from.

Even though they are not part of my report card standards, I included the rhombus and trapezoid shapes, as my Y5s use pattern block manipulatives for a variety of our math centers, and I wanted them to be familiar with the vocabulary to describe these shapes.

Beginning readers can practice their decoding skills with the word-filled grids, while younger kiddos can simply place the pictures on the blank grids.

You can also use the puzzles as an interesting and fun assessment tool. Choose one or 2 picture pieces for each 2D shape.

Hold one up and ask students to identify what shape they see. This will also check that they are using correct vocabulary as well.

Likewise, ask them to point to a hexagon. This way you know they can identify the shape, but not necessarily remember the name of it.

I also run off an extra set of each of the picture pieces for all of the shapes, to use as a sorting activity. This set is kept in a large ZipLock Baggie.

As a whole-group activity, I also use this bag to pass out several pieces to each child. We sit in a circle and they show one of the picture pieces, tell the name of the shape and what the "real world" object is. "Can we spy anything in our room that is also that shape?"

I’ve also included black & white templates, so that students can make their own puzzles to take home.

The pentagon & hexagon packet also have a volleyball, picture poster. Tossing or rolling a volleyball to your students, is a quick, easy and super fun way to practice those somewhat "toughie" shapes.

I think they're a bit difficult to remember because there really aren't that many examples children see or are familiar with, like squares and circles.

The pentagon packet also includes "irregular" pentagons, as seen with a teabag, pocket or baseball's home plate.

I've also included some interesting information about the "why" home base is an irregular pentagon.

Since March Is Reading Month, and many classrooms are celebrating Seuss, today's featured FREEBIE also helps practice 2D shapes; as well as letters, numbers 0-120, contractions, colors and more.

I used a sand pail for one container, as well a "flip up" container from a 10-pack of Mr. Clean "erasers", which is perfect for the Grinch's "mouth".

LOVE the dry sponges too, as they are perfect for getting permanent marker off laminated name cards, so that I can reuse them each year. Several dishwashing containers like Cascade, also use flip up containers.

Click on the link to grab the jumbo, "Feed The Grinch" packet. I hope you find it useful.

Well that's it for tonight. I usually zip off a blog article during the day, but life happened this morning, with way too much on my plate all day.

Thanks for stopping by. Wishing you a stress-free week.

"The greatest weapon against stress, is our ability to choose one thought over another." -William James

Simply pick which shapes are appropriate for your students, then print the colorful patterns on card stock, laminate and trim.

I’ve also included black and white templates so that students can make their own puzzles.

Children can put them together in an independent puzzle center. To make this a self-correcting activity, number the back of each piece: 1a, 1b, 1c etc.

Make an extra set to be used for a Memory Match or “I Have; Who Has?”game. i.e. “I have the triangle word piece, who has the shape and “real life” example pieces?”

Students can also sort them into 2D and 3D shapes. I’ve included 2 sorting mats for this.

For a whole group comprehension activity, toss the shape pieces into a container. * Children choose one and give the attributes. The color-copies have them listed, where as the BW patterns have this section of the puzzle blank.

OR… * Children can give 3 clues about the shape card they are hiding; their classmates guess which shape they think is being described.

OR… * Toss the “real life” picture pieces into a container. Students pick one and tell what shape it is. OR… * Toss the word pieces into a basket. Children pick one, read the shape word, then draw a picture of that shape on the board.

To practice the “spatial direction” aspect of this standard as a whole group, have children pick a shape piece. Call out directions for children to follow. i.e “Place your shape above, below, between, on, behind " etc. You can see at a glance who is having difficulty.

Students can also pick a piece and go on a shape hunt; listing,then totaling up how many items they found in your classroom that are that shape. I’ve included a worksheet for this.

Besides using them as individual puzzle pieces, I designed a variety of covers for both the 3-piece and 4-piece puzzles, so students can make an “Itty Bitty” 2D and/or 3D flip booklet.

These make a fun homework assignment, something for early finishers or struggling kiddos; as well as an interesting lesson for your sub tub.

Next up is "Shapin' Up With The Lorax";a quick, easy and fun craftivity, with a variety of game options. It's one of my most popular shape craftivities.

There's also an emergent reader, which practices capitalization and end punctuation too.

I’ve provided both 2D shapes as well as the four, 3D ones.

Make a set to use for a bulletin board display. We always get tons of compliments on ours.

Make an extra set; cut them in half, and use as puzzles for an independent math center and an interesting way to review symmetry.

Play 4-Corner FREEZE; a game that practices a variety of life skills, like listening and following directions, as well as the 2D/3D shape vocabulary, plus recognition, and counting backwards from 10 to 0.

My kiddos absolutely LOVE this game. Easy-peasy for me, and only takes a few minutes, so it’s perfect for the end of the day. I’ve included directions in the packet.

You can also use the Lorax shapes as big flashcards. Hold one up. Children call out what shape it is, along with its attributes, like the number of vertices.

Play “Who’s Missing?” Display a set on the wall. After children leave, take one away. In the morning, children guess which one is missing.

I’ve also included a 2-on-a-one-page template, so children can pick their favorite shape and create their own Lorax.

For a cute keepsake idea, students can use their hand prints as the mustache, and add accordion-folded legs and arms. (Super fine motor practice!)

Since pumpkins are carved with all sorts of shapely features, I thought it would be fun to make some "pumpkin eye"activities to practice 2D shapes. Today's blog features my "just finished" packet, along with today's featured FREEBIE.

* One option features pages with simple sentences using words from the Dolch lists, especially pronouns: “My pumpkin has rectangle eyes.” There is space underneath for students to draw that shape. * Option 2 includes the sentences as well as the shapes. The 3rd option, for little ones, doesn’t have sentences, just the picture shapes for them to color.

Students cut the pages and staple the "Pumpkin Eyes" booklet to the eye-section of their pumpkin.

* I’ve also included a whole group chant written on a poster. Read and point to the words on it: “Oh my! We’re wise. We spy a pumpkin with ____________ eyes!” When you get to the blank, place a shape word card on the poster.

To start the game, pass the various shaped eye cards out to your students. The child holding the called-for shape, puts that eye-card on the pumpkin poster.

Continue the chant ’til you have used all of the shape word cards. My Y5s absolutely LOVE practicing shapes this way.

* Make an extra set to be used as an independent center. Children place the shape word above the pumpkin, then put the matching eyes on. To make this self-checking, draw the shape on the back of the word card. * This activity can also be used as a fun tool for individually assessing 2D shapes.

* Afterwards, graph which pumpkin eyes everyone liked the best using the “Graphing Time” poster.

* Another fun way to whole-group assess 2D shapes, is by making a “Pumpkin Eyes”slider craft.

There are 2 pumpkin patterns to choose from, as well as two slider strip options featuring the various 2D shapes.

* I’ve also included 2 pumpkin patterns where students draw a shapely face, which makes for a sweet bulletin board.